Machine for manufacturing shot



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICEL ALFRED DUVALL, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING SHOT.`

Specification forming part of Letters Patrnt No. 727. dated May S, lSSS.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ALEEEDDUVALL, of the city and county of Baltimore, andState of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Machine for Manufacturing Shot, which 'is described as follows, reference being had to the annexed drawings of the same, making part of this specification.

A, Figure 1, represents a furnace for heating the crucible in which the lead is put to be melted for molding into shot. This furnace is constructed in brick-work, in any convenient situation, at a proper elevation above the molds. Over this furnace is arranged the cru-V cible B, Fig. 7, in which the lead is melted. In front is constructed a door, @,Fig. l, for theintroduction of fuel, and another door, D, for air. On top is constructed a chimney, E, for carrying off the smoke. In the bottom of the Crucible is inserted'a tube, F, for conveying the melted lead to the molds,'branched at the lower end for. conducting the melted lead t0 various kinds of molds, surrounded on the -outside by another tube, G, Fig. 7, leaving a is placed an upright shaft, H, turning in a step on said fioor, and its upper end turning in a bridge-tree above, or in any convenient fixture, on which end is a small screw-wheel, J, into which works a screw or worm, K, fixed on a horizontal shaft, L, turned by crank, pulley or any suitable gearing by hand, horse, or other power. On the upright shaft is a horizontal wheel, M, a little lower than the level of the bottom of the Crucible, in order that the melted lead shall flow freely to the molds in said wheel. ln this wheel is left a number of concentric spaces, in which are arranged circular plates O, in concentric circles, containing molds of various sizes for the several kinds of shot required. The circular plates O are in segments and smooth on top. The molds for the shot are on the under side of these half the size of the intended shot, or in the form of a semisphere figure, lwith small perforations leading to them from the surface of the plate, for the introduction of the lead. On the under side of said plates are flanges, to which are hung, by hinges or otherwise, separate plates P, Figs. 1, 13, 14., the segments of circles agreeing with the upper plates, in which are drilled corresponding cavities or depressions to those in said upper plates, which,when brought together, form the spherical cavities or molds for shot. The under sides of the lower plates are hollowed to admit anti-friction rollers Q, Fig. 15, which are intended to roll over the'way or table hereinafter described, for keeping the lower plates against the upper plates while molding,which said lower plates, as soon as they pass said way, drop at one end and discharge the shot.

The shaft, wheel, way, Ste., maybe inclined a little.

Under the molds is the way or platform It,

Fig. l, before mentioned, over which the rollers on the under side of the lower sections of the molds roll. This way may extend half, a third, or a quarter round the circle in which the wheel moves, and is supported on columns, or in any other mode. Perpendicularly over this way is hung a frame, S, Figs. 1, 5, 10, by means of hangings projecting downward from the under side of the third floor, or in any other convenient position, in which frame are rollers T, Figs. 1, l0, pressing on the top of the upper sections of the molds, to prevent them from springing while molding, also the receiver or hopper'U, Figs. 1, 10, 12, to refceived the melted lead from the tube previous to passing to the molds, the lower edge ofthe rear side o'f which serving as a shear for taking off the particles of lead projecting above the upper surface of the upper plates. It likewise contains an inclined partition, V, in the middle, over which the lead is thrown. This frame also contains tappets or trip-hammers WV, Figs. 1, 5, 6, for striking the upper plates Nearly opposite the way is a curved trough,

will 'present a semicircle. 'through the center of this frustum of a cone,

`ley, y, by which it is turned.

Y, Figs. 1,13, 14, containing water for cooling the molds, and through which they pass after having discharged the shot, said trough being supplied by water passing from a reservoir above through a straight tube, Z, Fig. 13, then througha perforated tubeat right angles to the one last mentioned, and then through the molds in the upper plates.

rIhe hopper a, to receive the shot, isk placed between the trough and way, and has a tube, b, leading fromits smaller end to the elevatorbox con the ascending side, for conveying the shot to the elevators d, Fig. 9, which convey it to the upper part of the building. The elevator-belt consists of two chains passing around drums in an elevator-box similar to that used in common flour-mills.

The buckets d, Fig. 9, for raising the shot,

Y are made of perforated sheet-iron, and fastened to the chains by wire, andplaced at equal distances apart. Water is introduced into the ascending side of the elevator-spout by means of atube, e, Fig. 8, leading fromareservoir, f, Figs. 1 and 8, and for the purpose of cooling the shot, the perforated buckets suffering the water to descend through these to the bottom.

The shot, when elevated, are dischargedinto a machine, by which they are compressed forrendering them perfectly round. This machine consists of a frustum of a cone, g, Fig. 4,

flutedon its surface in a spiral, h, from one end to the other, the spiral llute being in depth equal to half the diameter of the`shot to Vbe compressed therein. A section of this flute A shaft passes turning on the point of a screw, z', passing through a bridge, having on said shaft a rpul- It is raised or lowered by a screw, fi, to adapt it to the kind of shot to be compressed, Figs.l 1 and 4. rlhis solid iuted frustum of a cone issurrounded by a hollow frustum of a cone, k, Figs. 1 and 4, ilanged at the bottom and secured by bolts to the door. Its inner surface is smooth. The angle of the side of the solid frustum of a cone or runner, being greater than the side of the bed or stationary hollow frustum of a cone,

will produce a space, Z, between the two of' a wedge shape, the largest end of the space being toward the small end of the runner, the axis of which stands in a vertical position. The upper end of the hollow frustum of a cone is made daring to serve as a hopper. The shot,

' being introduced at this end, will be gradually compressed and rounded as they descend by the rotary motion of the iiuted runner, the shot constantly changing their position from the spiral form of the groove. After theshot leave this machine at the bottom thereof, they are received into a spout which conveys them into a horizontal revolving cylinder, m, Figs. 1 and 16, in which the shot become heated, and from thencethey pass by a spout to another cylinder, n, Figs. 1 and 16, in which is put pulverized black lead for polishing them, the heat causing the black lead to adhere to them. The shot pass to the end of this cylinder, which is perforated with holes q, to serve as a screen. From this cylinder the shot is conveyed by a spout, s, Figs. 1 and 16, to a common vibrating screw-board, p, for separating the perfect from the imperfect shot, the former rolling off the end of the board into a receiver, and the latter remaining on the screwboard. This completes the operation.

- The gearing for moving the several parts of the machine may be arranged in any convenient man ner known to mechanics.

The invention claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent consists- 1. In molding shot by means of a horizontal revolving wheel of molds, which receive the melted lead directly from the crucible and discharging the shot, when molded, by dropvping the under section of the molds as they pass from the end of the way, whether constructed and operated in' the manner before described or in any other or similar princiles.

p 2. The double-handed tube and receiver for conveying the melted lead to the molds, and the construction of the receiver for shearing off the surplus lead from the top of the molds and convey it over the center partition of said receiver to the forward part ot' the same.`

3. The combination and arrangement of the l Witnesses:

WILLIAM P. ELLIOT, EDMUND MAHER. 

